a sure way to increase military votes for BHO in november.

the "symbol" vs "real issue" is a difficult one, though. in many cases the symbol is important, and can be an effective tool in addressing the real issue. i think there is a third common option, which is the red herring. it often masquerades as a symbol or seems like actual issue, but is neither. the hummer is a symbol of the gas-guzzling vehicle problem. a red-herring might be the gas-tax "holiday".

it is of note, however, that people who don't like pornography think it is a corrupting influence, a potential gateway to worse behavior. they believe that there is a link between the two, arguing that if you decrease the porn, you decrease the potential for rape. i disagree, but that is where they are coming from.

i think this is more of a red-herring then a symbol, if anyone is attempting to link them at all. some of the stories of rape of americans in the middle-east by other americans is horrifying.

but as fnarf point, those who claim to care about "purity" -- or whatever virtue they are hoping to promote by eliminating the vice of pornography -- are really missing the point. how could anyone who cared about sexual virtue want to deal with the rape problems first and foremost?

And yes I think it's asinine.

When a Baptist drinks, he drinks with his friends who arne't baptists. OR he drinks alone.

They all KNOW they are going to hell, but they would rather appear to be in good graces with the eyes of the community.

Oh, and @13 - Your belief that everyone in the South is a redneck yahoo who can't wait to re-fight the Civil War shows is one of the reasons so many people down here hate you.

I remember Govern Roland (republican), thrown out on his ASS in CT when his wife tried to play the God card, claiming the media was giving them crap for "Being good Christian people" in the wake of a corruption scandle.

I just want a straight answer

(CT is surprisingly overwhelmingly Republican run locally)

The problem is that people like Rep. Broun believe husbands wanking off to pictures of naked (or nearly naked) women is equivalent to adultry anyway, so your argument wouldn't really fly with that crowd - not that they'd be open to any other "rational" argument, either.

And the Congressman's "correlation" between the presence of skin mags and the prevalance of sexual assaults in the military is just ludicrous, not to mention not supported by any empirical evidence, SFAIA. In fact, common sense would seem to dictate just the opposite; by providing a "relief valve" that allows male troops to vent off some of their sexual frustrations, one would think it would also reduce the urge to take out those frustrations out on their fellow troops or on innocent civilians.

But again, common sense is not the sort of thing people like Broun are prone to in the first place.

I think a good bit of it is a generational thing. Up until recently - thanks, Obama! - any time I went to vote I was the youngest person in the polling place by 30 years or so. And older people around here tend to elect "good, upstanding" politicians who will make things like they used to be. Which is a crock, because even back then people were complaining about how things weren't like they used to be.

Oh wait, now I'm really really confused and stuck in self doubt now ...

Whaaaat the fuuuuuuuuuuck is wroooooooong with these people?

Good chance that Rep. Broun never served, and only hears from the hypocrites in his district. Maybe he can team up with McPain and change the GI Bill into a permanent tour of duty, with bennies never being paid.

The all twink touring revue maybe?

I wrote Rep Broun and told him what a nutcase I feel he is. Get these assholes out of our Congress. They are simply embarrassing. Sex is a blessing and sexual expression is a joy. Broun is a fool and he needs to shut up and go home. PEACE